Sent to the countryside, I turned the health center into a top-tier hospital.

"I never expected that Dr. Chen would have such a high level of awareness at such a young age."

Old Zhou gave a thumbs up, then turned to Old Song and said, "Old Song, don't eat at the cafeteria for lunch today, come to my house instead."

"I'll have the cafeteria send over some dishes, and we'll have a couple of drinks. Dr. Chen will come too; my back feels much better today, so I have to thank him properly."

Old Song glanced at Old Zhou and waved his hand: "Just eat in the cafeteria, don't bother. Your wife's health isn't good to begin with."

Old Zhou didn't even bother to respond. He had already bent down to reel in his fishing rod, saying, "What's the big deal? It's just a matter of adding a pair of chopsticks."

"Besides, Dr. Chen not only treated my back, but also saw Old Li and Old Zhao. You made him busy all morning, and then you didn't even provide him with a decent lunch. Is that reasonable?"

"Furthermore, I'd like Dr. Chen to take a look at my husband..."

Upon hearing this, Old Song stopped refusing. "Alright, alright, let's go to your house. But don't bring out that wine; I can't drink much."

Old Zhou ignored him completely and had already started walking back with the empty bucket.

Chen Ping followed behind, while Li Jizhong packed up the teapot and teacups and carried them in his hands. The group walked back along the path.

As we rounded the pine forest, sunlight filtered through the trees, scattering golden fragments across the road.

"Old boss, you take Dr. Chen with you. I won't cause any trouble. I'll go eat in the cafeteria."

Back at the retirement home, Li Jizhong spoke somewhat awkwardly.

After all, Lao Zhou hadn't invited Li Jizhong. Although Li Jizhong really wanted to participate, he couldn't just go without a second thought.

"Okay, go eat in the canteen. I'll arrange for some old comrades to join you tonight!"

Old Song nodded and said.

Upon hearing this, Li Jizhong was overjoyed and turned to walk towards the cafeteria.

"Dr. Chen, let's go..." Old Song said.

Chen Ping watched Li Jizhong's retreating figure, momentarily at a loss for words.

The Party Secretary of Tianhai City holds the power of life and death over the entire city.

It's difficult for others to even meet him, but here, Li Jizhong's status seems to be inferior to that of the guards.

Chen Ping shook his head and followed Old Song toward Old Zhou's house.

Old Zhou's family lives in the innermost building of the retirement home. From the outside, it looks no different from the other buildings, but once you step inside, you can tell they're different.

The living room is spacious and bright, with a ceiling height significantly higher than that of a typical house. The sofa is a dark-colored, old-fashioned solid wood style.

A set of purple clay teaware sits on the coffee table, and a landscape painting hangs on the wall, with the name of a master inscribed on the wooden frame next to the painting.

Old Zhou's wife came out from the inner room. She looked to be in her seventies, rather thin, with gray hair that was neatly combed. She was wearing a dark red thin sweater.

While walking, one hand unconsciously rests on the waist.

"Old Song, it's been a while since you've been back. Have you gotten used to living in the village and are reluctant to come back?"

Old Zhou's wife saw Old Song and said with a smile.

"Sister-in-law, my hometown is in the mountains. The environment there is really good, incomparable to the city. When you have time, ask Lao Zhou to take you to stay in the mountains."

Old Song said, holding Old Zhou's wife's hand.

"I'm afraid there won't be a chance. My health is so poor, I don't know when I'll be gone."

Old Zhou's wife said with a smile.

It's clear that Old Zhou's wife has a good mindset and isn't afraid of death.

"Honey, stop talking nonsense. This is Dr. Chen. He just cured my back. Let him take a look at you too," Old Zhou said, pointing to Chen Ping.

Old Zhou's wife glanced at Chen Ping, then politely invited everyone to sit down, and slowly sat down herself, holding onto the chair.

Chen Ping didn't sit down first. He walked up to Old Zhou's wife, bent down, and said, "Auntie, please put your hand out so I can take your pulse."

Old Zhou's wife glanced at Old Zhou, and Old Zhou nodded beside her. The old lady stretched out her hand and placed it on the coffee table, rolling up her sleeve to reveal a slender wrist.

Chen Ping placed three fingers on her tongue and examined it for about twenty seconds. He then looked at her tongue coating and asked a few questions about her sleep and diet.

Old Zhou's wife said she couldn't sleep well at night, waking up several times a night, and her neck was always stiff and tight.

Sometimes I feel dizzy, not the kind of dizziness that makes the world spin, but just a feeling that my head is not clear, like it's covered with a layer of fog.

Chen Ping released his grip. "Auntie, this isn't a serious problem. It's just a cervical spine issue, plus insufficient blood and qi."

Do you usually look down while watching TV or doing needlework?

"If you tilt your neck forward for too long, the curvature of your cervical spine will change, which will compress the vertebral artery, resulting in poor blood supply and dizziness. The sympathetic nerves will also be stimulated, making it difficult to sleep soundly."

"I'll give you a few acupuncture treatments and prescribe a medicine to regulate your condition. This should greatly improve your dizziness and stiff neck."

Old Zhou's wife nodded. "Then we'll have to trouble Dr. Chen."

"It's no trouble at all. Auntie's problem isn't serious. You seem to be in good health. You can live for several more decades without any problem."

As Chen Ping spoke, he took out silver needles from his needle case.

"Dr. Chen is really joking. If I live for another few decades, I'll be an old monster," Old Zhou's wife teased.

"Auntie, conditions are much better now. Living to be over a hundred years old is nothing. Please sit sideways and don't move."

Chen Ping had her sit sideways on the chair and inserted a needle into each of the three acupoints on the back of her neck: Fengchi, Tianzhu, and Jingbailao.

The technique is light and steady, with a small twisting amplitude but a moderate frequency.

After the acupuncture, the old lady leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and her brows slowly relaxed.

Old Zhou looked at his wife nervously and asked Chen Ping, "Dr. Chen, is my wife's ailment really not that serious?"

"No, it's normal for older people to get this kind of disease. It can be treated twice and is nothing serious, let alone life-threatening."

Chen Ping explained.

"That's good, that's good..." Old Zhou seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

During the acupuncture treatment, Chen Ping massaged the shoulders and trapezius muscles of Old Zhou's wife, pushing along the muscle lines a few times. The old lady's neck was noticeably more relaxed than before.

When the needles were removed, Old Zhou's wife opened her eyes, tried to move her neck, turned it left and right, and tilted her head back and forth a couple of times. A surprised smile appeared on her face. "It really is true, my neck is not stiff anymore, and my head is clear."

Old Zhou watched as his wife relaxed her brow, her face crinkling with smiles.

He took out his phone and made a call, telling the cafeteria to send over a few dishes, and to send two extra, as they had guests today.

After hanging up the phone, he turned and went into the inner room. When he came out again, he was carrying a bottle of wine, a white porcelain bottle with a red label on it that read "Special Supply".

The edges of the label are worn, indicating it has been there for quite some time.